Unchanged By The Red Sea?

Most of you are probably familiar with story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.  After sending plague after plague to the Egyptians who had held God's people in slavery for hundreds of years, God frees them and has Moses lead them out of Egypt with Pharoah's permission.  The Israelites are toodling along, all happy and free and such, when they come upon the Red Sea.  As they're camping there, Pharoah changes his mind about the whole "getting rid of the free labor that our country relies upon" thing and sends his army after the Israelites to bring them back.  What do the Israelites do when they see the Egyptian army coming after them on chariots with weapons raised?  They turn to Moses and say, "What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."

See, the Israelites had seen firsthand God's power to bring them out of slavery and to a new land.  But they did not believe God was powerful enough to sustain them now that they were out of slavery.  In other words, they believed God could bring them to the Red Sea, but they didn't think He could bring them through the Red Sea.

They were struggling with some serious doubt issues.  Well, as you probably know, God showed up for the Israelites in spite of their doubt.  He parted the Red Sea and the entire nation crossed on dry land.  Do you know what happened after this huge display of God's power and love for these people?  Not much.  Their hearts didn't change.  They continued doubting every single time their circumstances got difficult.  As a result, they wandered around in the desert for the rest of their lives and they never entered the Promised Land.

So– why am I reminding you of this story?  Because this past week, God told me that I've been acting a lot like those Israelites.  God has put His power on magnificent display as He provides the finances for this trip.  I have received almost $10,000 in just 10 weeks, even though all I've done is send out one round of support letters and blog weekly.  He has truly been moving on people's hearts and bringing it in.  As a result, I really haven't doubted God's ability to send me out on the World Race.  I have not had even an inkling of doubt that God is going to provide every penny of the funds I need. 

I am positive He is going to bring me out of my life of current comforts and to the World Race.  However, just like the Israelites at the Red Sea, I've been having some serious doubts about God getting me through the World Race. 

My attitude has been something like this: "God, it's clear you're calling me to the race.  You're providing.  It's official– I'm going.  But can't you see how hard this is going to be?  It's going to get so uncomfortable!  I'm going to miss all the physical comforts of my life here.  There are going to be nights where I miss family and friends and Grant so much that it hurts!  Living in community 24/7 is going to require that I be vulnerable, and I don't like the way that makes me feel.  Wouldn't it be better to leave me here in the US?  Can't you just leave me bound– to my dependence on internet?  To my need for love and affirmation from other humans?  To the pride of attaining a good job out of college?  This whole thing was YOUR idea, not mine!  And I'm just not so sure You're going to get me through all of this in one piece!"

God had me thinking on that little attitude problem for a bit and then brought the first few chapters of Joshua to my attention (thank you, Rachel!).  The generation of Israelites who crossed the Red Sea have passed away, and Joshua has replaced Moses as their leader.  God tells Joshua to lead the nation across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land.  They simply have to trust that God is going to bring them through victory after victory and deliver the enemy nations into their hands.  And they have to keep their eyes on the ark of the covenant in front of them.  The Lord is literally leading them out, and they have to keep their eyes on Him.

What is their attitude this time?  When Joshua delivers God's call to go out into the unknown in faith, they respond, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go."  As the day drew near, Joshua encouraged them to prepare themselves "for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."  This time, the people were expectant.  They believed that God would be more than enough for them.  They believed He would see them through anything thing that He brought them to.

As they go out in obedience, with their eyes on the ark (God's presence), they come to the Jordan River.  As soon as the priests enter the water, the river stops flowing, the waters back up, and the entire nation crosses over on dry ground… again.  I'm sure they were remembering the stories they heard from their parents about God doing the same thing at the Red Sea, but this time was very different.  They were walking in faith.  And what waited for them on the other side?  The Promised Land!  Victories!  Life abundant!  God's deliverance!  God delivered all of their enemies into their hands.  The walls of Jericho fell.  They experienced life as they had never experienced it before.

As I read and meditated on this, God began speaking to my soul–

Kaleigh, you have two choices.  You can trust me or you can doubt me.  The World Race is your Red Sea, your Jordan River.  No matter your attitude, I will part the waters.  I will be enough to get you through.  I've brought you to it and I'll bring you through it.  No matter what.  However, if you cross through the waters with an attitude of doubt, you will remain unchanged.  You will wander through the wilderness of anxiety, fear, doubt, and worry for the rest of your life.  You will never enter your promised land.  You will never experience the abundant life I've promised you.  You will never know freedom from the things that bind you.  You will never know my joy.  BUT- if you cross the waters with an attitude of trust and expectancy, you will experience victory beyond your wildest dreams.  I will deliver you in every difficult circumstance.  I will go before you and be your rear guard.  During and after the race, you will be able to enter into the life I've planned for you.  You will be able to walk through life confident of who you are and Whose you are.  You will know joy and peace, no matter your circumstances.  You will be FREE!

God had certainly piqued my interest. I definitely want to be like the second generation of Israelites and see the Promised Land.  I definitely do not want to be like the first generation and spend the rest of my life in the wilderness, unchanged by God's display of love and power in my life.

Even with this revelation, however, I was frustrated.  How do I trust?  My circumstances haven't changed!  I'm still scared!  I don't want to feel this anxiety and doubt, but I can't seem to help it.  I've gone over it and over it in my mind a thousand times, and I can't figure out how to trust You!

As I wrestled with this trap I was in, God reminded me of a lesson I'd heard dozens of times growing up in the church–  When your focus is on your problems, they seem like insurmountable mountains.  When your focus is on your God, those mountains become mere molehills in the light of who you know Him to be.

Though I still didn't feel different yet, I shifted my focus.  I started by taking five minutes to just tell God things I was thankful for— from things I am thankful for in my present life to things I am thankful for that relate to the race.  Soon, I transitioned from thankfulness to worship.  I turned my eyes away from the things of this world that had sent me into a mental tailspin and put them on God. 

I did just as the old hymn suggests: